A fast synthesis route of boron–carbon–nitrogen ultrathin layers towards highly mixed ternary B–C–N phases

We report a direct and fast synthesis route to grow boron–carbon–nitrogen layers based on microwave-assisted plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) by using methylamine borane as a single source molecular precursor. This easy and inexpensive method allows controlled and reproducible growth of B–C–N layers onto thin Cu foils. Their morphological, structural, chemical, optical and transport properties have been thoroughly characterized by a number of different microscopies, transport and spectroscopic techniques. Though disorder and segregation into C-rich and h-BN-rich domains have been observed in ultrathin flat few layers, high doping levels have been reached, inducing strong modifications of the electronic, optical and transport properties of C-rich and h-BN-rich phases. This synthesis procedure can open new routes towards the achievement of homogeneous highly mixed ternary B–C–N phases.